Bhagsometer

Couple of nights ago, I met an Israeli woman (travelling with her daughter) that I met in Kasar Devi who has been pestering me to come play in her guesthouse for the last week or so. I discovered that an English friend who was up in the cave with us for one night was also at the same guesthouse so I figured it would be a nice jam. It was marvellous with some beautiful hip hop and bluegrass wig-outs. I was also reunited with my Israeli friend Tal who I made the triumphant bike journey across southern India with.

And then just at the point that we were getting tired from playing, someone switches on a TV. Arsenal vs Barcelona! Sweet.

In the following five minutes all women left and all men sat quietly in front of the screen. No one was bothered that much either way on the result, but obviously my time in Newcastle rubbed off and the keen Arsenal supporter in me managed to be a bit disappointed by the ten man handicap. Ahh, but it was a nice game.

What is this nonsense?

As per usual, I'm just writing something to kill some time while I wrestle with the MSN photo thingy to get the cave pictures online from Avi's camera.

Which reminds me that yesterday on entering the Buddhist temple hoping to catch a glimpse or an autograph from the Dalai Lama I was greeted by the sight of a whole bunch of monks making a lot of noise. They were in pairs and one monk would sit on the floor while the other one would dance before him urgently asking questions and then clapping his hands to prompt an immediate answer from the dude on the floor. Imagine like twenty pairs and you have a noisy temple.

Looks like fun being a monk.

I guess this would be quite a good method of educational instruction for use in the Western world. However the thought of watching the un-coordinated teachers at my school try to pull this acrobatic stuff is somewhat dizzying.

Yesterday I also had the pleasure of looking around the most expensive hotels in town. There are some seriously plush joints with full view of the valley and double balcony and bath and fridge and artwork. And the cost? The one I booked with that extra bit of I don't know what cost 1650 rupees. Under 30 pounds.

Last night was the birthday of three different women in Bhagsu. Having already had a gorgeous day floating around smiling at people, I found myself drinking whisky (of all things) and getting very high. An enormous outdoor party materialised and there was full dancing to Red Snapper's Making Bones album. Dark and nice.

Then one of the birthday girls asked that I play and we had a monumental jam and I was reunited with my giant Indian English friend, Scorpio who I met here in November. More delicious rapping and drumming and a rightious version of Bittersweet Symphony. I began to play Janis Joplin's Mercede's Benz and this beautiful English girl appeared and showed off some very impressive ribs or lungs or whatever. She sang it well.

This went on for some time. I think we eventually did some Om Nama Shiva chanting. It was full energy.

So after the craziness of last night I am setting off today for a week's adventure to some nearby mountains with Tal and Effie. It's been a while since I've had some true India action.

Photos of the cave are up now. Phew.

Love to you my friend.